30th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Winners Announced

The Asahi Shimbun Company (Representative Director, President & CEO: Katsu Sumida) is pleased to announce the winners of the 30th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 11th, at Yurakucho Asahi Hall (2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo). Following the ceremony, a commemorative talk event will also be held. 350 members of the general public are invited free of charge to both the awards ceremony and the commemorative talk event.

[Official Website] https://www.asahi.com/corporate/award/tezuka/
[Asahi Shimbun Article (featuring interviews with winners and newly drawn illustrations)] https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASV4R1TMZV4RUCVL01NM.html

[Application for Awards Ceremony & Commemorative Talk Event] https://t.asahi.com/tez30pr

◆Manga Grand Prize (The most outstanding work throughout the year)

"Hon Nara Uru Hodo" (KADOKAWA)

Ao Kojima

◆New Artist Prize (For authors with fresh talent, innovative expressions, and groundbreaking themes)

Mado Saito

"Kaiju o Kaibo Suru" (Dissecting Kaiju) (KADOKAWA)

For high skill in balancing entertainment and social relevance within a unique concept.

◆Short Story Prize (For outstanding works and authors in short stories, four-panel manga, single-panel manga, etc.)

"Atarashii Tomodachi Kawajiro Tanpenshu" (New Friends: Kawajiro's Short Story Collection) (Magazine House)

Kawajiro

◆Special Prize (For individuals or organizations who have contributed to the development of manga culture)

Kazuyoshi Takeda, "Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise" (Hakusensha)

For the new horizons in war depiction shown in both the manga series and the film adaptation, and for the powerful message of anti-war peace delivered in the 80th year after the war.

(*Titles of winners and related parties are omitted.)

350 members of the general public invited to the awards ceremony and commemorative talk event

Following the awards ceremony, a commemorative talk event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize will be held. Rumiko Tezuka, daughter of Osamu Tezuka, selection committee members Yukiko Tomiyama and Taro Yabe, and Yoshinari Fukushima of the comedy duo "Garittchu," among others, will discuss the charm of Osamu Tezuka.

350 members of the general public (tentative) are invited free of charge to the awards ceremony and commemorative talk event. Attendees will receive a commemorative booklet containing newly drawn illustrations and messages from the winners, as well as critiques from the selection committee members, and an original commemorative pin badge.

Commemorative Pin Badge

[Awards Ceremony & Commemorative Talk Event Details]

◆Date & Time: Thursday, June 11, 2026, 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM (tentative)

◆Venue: Yurakucho Asahi Hall (Yurakucho Marion 11F, 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)

◆General Invitation Application: Please apply via the application website: https://t.asahi.com/tez30pr

- Each person may apply only once (multiple applications will all be invalidated). If there are many applications, winners will be selected by lottery.
- Winners will be notified by email around the end of May.
- Entry is restricted to the winner themselves; transfers or resales are not permitted.
- Applicants must be high school age or older.

◆Application Deadline: Friday, May 15, 2026

About the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize
The Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize was established in 1997 by The Asahi Shimbun, with the cooperation of Tezuka Productions, to commemorate the achievements of Osamu Tezuka, who played a significant role in the development and improvement of manga culture, and to contribute to the healthy development of manga culture by carrying on his legacy. In addition to the Manga Grand Prize, awarded to the most outstanding work throughout the year, there are also the New Artist Prize, Short Story Prize, and Special Prize. Winners receive a "Mighty Atom" (Astro Boy) statue (created by Mr. Hiroshi Yokoyama) and prize money.

30th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Selection Committee

Seven members: Osamu Akimoto (manga artist), Machiko Satonaka (manga artist), Minami Takahashi (talent, visiting professor at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music), Shohei Chujo (French literature scholar, professor emeritus at Gakushuin University), Yukiko Tomiyama (manga researcher, associate professor at Shirayuri University), Nobunaga Minami (manga commentator), and Taro Yabe (comedian/manga artist).

Two internal members from The Asahi Shimbun: Kengo Sakajiri (Director, Content Management / Editorial Affairs) and Kaoru Watanabe (Head of Culture Department = at the time of the final selection committee).

◆Information regarding applications for on-site media coverage will be announced separately in mid-May.

[Note] The official character for "Tezuka" (手塚) is with a dot (手塚), but for compatibility reasons, it is written without the dot (手塚).